Shopping Blind
by Laineyvb131
Summary: Medicine can have some strange side effects. Gordon Becker sleepwalks; what does Elizabeth do? It's not quite what you think. (Based on a scene from S5E9 Winter Garden) A little sexy humor from a situation you'd never expect, with some angst and romance thrown in for good measure.
1. Chapter 1: Shopping Blind

Reality may actually be stranger than fiction- and great fodder for a fanfic.

* * *

Elizabeth was digging through the fridge in search of a late evening meal when she heard the front door close. Typical of her weeknights, she'd come home long after dinnertime. Jason was upstairs, supposedly working on homework, although Elizabeth suspected her youngest child was more worried about his relationship with Piper than he was about math. Henry had texted before she left the office, letting her know he'd be out running.

"Babe, you home?" Henry called from the foyer.

"In the kitchen." Good, she thought, poking half heartedly at a container with contents that resembled pasta. Maybe her sweaty husband and some bourbon could provide a nice distraction, both from the lack of food in her house and a long day at the State Department.

Henry appeared in the doorway with a box in one hand, and a handful of envelopes in the other.

"Diplomatic Security just released our mail," he offered. "Bills, an offer for that cruise we have so much time to take, and this package for you." Rolling his eyes, he gestured with the partially opened, very recognizable Amazon box.

Elizabeth closed the refrigerator door, abandoning her search for anything edible, even by her standards. She stepped towards Henry, intending to give her husband a kiss in greeting.

Just then, Jason walked into the kitchen. "Oh, good." He strode over to yank the box out of Henry's hands, pushing past Elizabeth in his haste. "I've been waiting for the headset I ordered for my gaming system."

"Wait, Jace, that's…" As Jason sat the package on the kitchen island to dig through it, Henry continued, "for your mom, I was going to say". He glared at his son's rudeness.

Elizabeth wasn't paying much attention to Jason, more interested in the way Henry's damp shirt was clinging to his chest.

She shook herself back to focus just as Jason pulled out the inner box. And did a double take, jaw dropping slightly.

 _Oh, shit._

Elizabeth jumped to snatch the contents from Jason, essentially shoving him out of her way in the process.

"Mom!" Jason exclaimed.

"I got this, Jase. Girl stuff. Not your, whatever. Go on. Just… yeah," Elizabeth stuttered.

She frantically stuffed the packaging together and thrust the box behind her back, hoping Jason hadn't seen any of the labels.

 _Damnit, wasn't that stuff supposed to come in blank wrapping paper? And when the hell did she order that, anyway?_ The thoughts skittering across her brain were smothered by her slight panic. Elizabeth was very aware of the confused stares following her as she hastily backed out of the kitchen.

"I'll just go put this upstairs." She dashed toward the stairwell, leaving her husband and son gaping at her erratic behavior.

In their bedroom, Elizabeth tossed the box on the bed and sank down next to it, embarrassment hot on her face. _Well, shit_. Her Diplomatic Security team scanned the McCords' mail to check for security threats. Sure, her detail was privy to their personal lives, but she and Henry usually kept their public displays of affection relatively tame. Even though they'd gotten risqué a few times, in the privacy of her SUV, Elizabeth shuddered to think her detail now had more intimate knowledge of her sex life.

Elizabeth groaned to herself at the thought of facing Matt and Frank in the morning. _Awkward is the understatement of the century_. She set her elbows on her knees and buried her head in her hands.

Henry cleared his voice somewhere above her. Elizabeth hadn't noticed him follow her into the room, but peered through her fingers to see his running shoes a few feet from her bare toes.

"Babe, that was really weird. What's going on?"

Elizabeth gestured with a shoulder to the box on the bed. "I can't even…I just...," she trailed off. She tunneled her fingers in her hair, causing the blonde strands to fall further over her face.

Henry took a step to the bed and squatted in front of her. He reached out, brushing her hair behind her ears so he could see the brilliant blue of her eyes. He tipped her chin up as he pulled his hand back, encouraging her to answer him. "Talk to me."

Elizabeth hesitated briefly, then asked, "Remember the other night?" Henry thought for a moment, then his hazel eyes flooded with acknowledgment.

 _Henry nibbled his way down the side of her neck, hitching Elizabeth's leg higher around his waist. A low moan tore from his throat as he nestled deeper into the softness of her body._

 _Elizabeth tilted her head to give him better access, digging her nails into his biceps and pressing her breasts into his bare chest._

 _Henry skimmed a hand down her ribcage, over her hip bone, reaching between her legs to stroke her._

 _He stilled the movement of his fingers. "Babe, are you ok?"_

" _Mmm…." she purred. "Don't stop. Please."_

" _Are you sure?"_

Of course, she was sure.

" _Right there." Elizabeth covered Henry's hand with her own to increase his pressure against her._

Damnit. What the hell was her body doing? Or not, in this case.

" _I don't want you hurt you," Henry protested._

" _You aren't," she confirmed._

" _Elizabeth." Henry pulled his hand away._

 _Elizabeth sighed, deflated. Henry shifted slightly away from her body and propped himself on his elbows to look in her eyes._

" _What's wrong?" Henry asked, concerned. His thumb grazed her jawline, fingers gently combing through her hair._

" _Nothing. Really. You're doing everything right." She soothed him, fingers whisking softly over his shoulders. "I want you." Henry furrowed his brow, not convinced. Elizabeth frowned, resignedly. "I guess it's been a long week and I'm more stressed than I thought. And this cough just won't go away."_

" _I've had so much cold medicine I could be the poster child for Sudafed."_

" _Crap. The medicine," she suddenly realized. "It's supposed to dry everything out. I guess it did, not just in my lungs." Elizabeth sighed again. "The furnace isn't helping, either."_

" _Its ok, babe. Come on." Henry rolled to his side and pulled her into his arms. "We can just cuddle tonight."_

 _Elizabeth felt his erection hard against her thigh, and the steady pulsing of lust in her core._

" _Oh, no. We aren't stopping now. Hold on." She suddenly jerked out of his arms to rummage in her nightstand drawer._

" _What are you doing?"_

" _Just wait. I might have…" Her hand closed around a familiar bottle. A familiar, but empty, bottle._

" _Never mind." Elizabeth flopped back on the bed with a huff and stared at the ceiling._

 _Henry's hand slid across her belly, warm and soft. He nuzzled his nose in her hair, breath fluttering in her ear. She supposed he intended to be soothing, but she was still aroused, damnit, and frustrated her body wasn't following her brain._

On to plan B _, she thought, with a sigh._ At least one of us will get something good out of tonight _._

 _She shifted to face Henry, sliding her hand down his chest to his groin, as she leaned in to kiss him._

" _We'll just have to do this another way, then."_

"I couldn't sleep, even after we finally managed to salvage an almost disastrous night."

Henry's lips curled in a soft smile. "It wasn't that bad," he corrected, empathetically.

"That bad?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That's a ringing endorsement."

"Hey." He put his hands on her knees, patiently waiting until her eyes met his again. "It's not the first time that's happened, and it won't be the last," he reassured her, his gaze soft and loving. "I still had my wife, naked, in my arms. What more could I want?"

"So many ways to answer that," Elizabeth snorted, doubt coloring her voice.

Henry slid his hands up her thighs, massaging her muscles gently. "Next time, I'll blow your mind." He winked. "But I still don't understand the connection." He glanced at the box, confusion evident on his face.

"So, apparently I was having a Gordon Becker moment."

Henry's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What does the SecDef have to do with our sex life?"

"He doesn't. I just didn't sleep walk and steal ornaments. I ordered lube."

Henry's hands stopped rubbing her quads as his mouth dropped open. "Wait. What?" He queried, incredulously.

"I started coughing again, after we had sex, so I took some Nyquil."

 _Uh, oh._ Henry knew how she took medicine. "Babe, you shoot that stuff like its bad tequila. I don't know how you don't overdose on it without measuring."

"Bad tequila probably would've been a better idea. Any liquor, actually. Isn't that stuff just mostly alcohol, anyway?" Elizabeth waved her hands in the air wildly. "I'll just go for bourbon, next time. Bourbon kills germs, right?"

She stopped, cutting off her rambling attempt at an explanation. Elizabeth dropped her gaze to Henry's hands on her legs, tracing her fingertips over the tendons. The sudden sense of shyness surprised her. _Why did she still get embarrassed talking about sex after all these years?_

Henry turned his hands over, lacing his fingers with hers. "Take a breath, babe."

Elizabeth did, and tried again. "Apparently, I was shopping online, on my phone. Right after sex. Perfect time to shop."

"If you say so." Henry's confirmation was more of a question.

"I guess I thought so. This one was rated high on Amazon. Boom. Ordered." She jerked their joined hands to emphasize her point.

Henry shook his head, as if he needed to clear it to understand what she was saying. "So, you bought sex lube on Amazon?" He asked, almost tentatively, trying to follow her train of thought.

"We needed it," Elizabeth replied, in a self-deprecating tone. "Obviously."

Henry squeezed their interlocked hands, in an attempt to alleviate his wife's anxiety. He started to speak, but she shook her head to stop him.

"Well, I didn't have my glasses on, either." Elizabeth disengaged their hands, and reached back into the box.

Taking the container from her, he goggled. "Babe, there's half a gallon, here."

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes. "All thanks to my blind Nyquil haze." Elizabeth chewed on her lip, watching Henry intently.

Henry suddenly rocked back on his heels and burst into laughter. "Well, at least you didn't text Russell or the White House," he managed to say.

Slightly relieved at his reaction, Elizabeth grinned, peals of her own laughter ringing in the air.

"Oh, believe me, I checked the next morning. Both my phone and my email. I didn't think to check Amazon. I remember now, and when Jason opened that box. But I couldn't have told you before tonight what I had done."

"All I really remember is our rather frustrating attempt at sex."

"Babe, stop." Henry's command was soft but adamant, momentarily cutting through the glee. Elizabeth shrugged, sheepishly, as if apologizing she couldn't quite get over her feeling of inadequacy.

Henry cocked his head and turned the bottle over in his hands, marveling at the concept.

"This thing is huge. It even comes with a pump, like you put in your shampoo?" He considered the possibilities. "So much for being discreet. Just don't leave it out on your nightstand."

Elizabeth nodded her agreement. "Or in the bathroom. The girls still dig through my cabinets when they run out of tampons."

Henry cringed.

"Oh, you're fine talking about sexual lubricant, but not tampons?" Elizabeth snorted.

"I want to talk about sex with you. I want to have sex with you. The rest, I'd rather just not think about," Henry clarified.

He caught her gaze again and they both burst into a fresh round of giggles.

Elizabeth collapsed into a ball on her side, her concerns temporarily forgotten in their shared hilarity at the situation. "Take my phone away next time, will you? The world should wait until morning if I'm that incoherent," she gasped through her laughter. Then she caught herself nearly sliding off the bed, and sent them both cackling again.

Henry finally gathered himself and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Sixty-four ounces calls for a lot of sex." Henry grinned wickedly and gestured behind him towards their bathroom. "I can shower now so we can get started."

"Um, doesn't a shower kind of defeat the purpose? Won't water wash off all the lube?" Her eyebrow quirked in contemplation.

"I meant to clean up. I didn't think you wanted me like this." Henry indicated his sweaty clothes with a motion of his hand, completely unaware of the innuendo in his comment. He set the bottle next to him on the floor and moved to stand. Seeing the glint in Elizabeth's eyes, he paused and reconsidered. "Or maybe you do."

Henry reached up his arms, indicating she could grasp his hands to help him to his feet. But instead, he yanked her to the floor and rolled her body under him. Elizabeth snickered as she wrapped her arms and legs around her husband, fisting her fingers in his hair.

"We can't let your shopping spree be for naught, can we?" he decided, crushing his mouth to hers.


	2. Chapter 2: That's Why We Have Amazon

"Everything is more complicated than you think it is right now." -Elizabeth McCord.

"Elizabeth and Henry don't give up." -Téa Leoni

And they won't, I promise. But you have to hang on.

* * *

Henry sat on the floor, leaning against the frame of the bathroom door as he tried to make sense of the sudden turn of events. His shirt lay neglected a few feet away, underneath one running shoe. He still wore the other shoe and his shorts. He and Elizabeth had been rolling on the floor, laughing, her arms wrapped around him. He'd unbuttoned her shirt, nibbling a trail with his lips as he revealed each tantalizing inch of her bare skin. But as he'd slid a hand into her unhooked trousers, she tensed, and literally shoved him off her.

Now he watched his wife warily, as she curled into herself next to the bed. The few feet of distance between them felt like a gaping chasm.

Elizabeth tucked her knees against her chest, pulling her shirt tighter around her shoulders, as if to shield her from some unknown danger. _Or perhaps her husband,_ flashed through Henry's mind. Her pants caught at her shins, but she'd made no move to cover herself. She could feel the roughness of the carpet through the satin of her panties.

"Elizabeth, what happened?" Henry asked, tentatively. "Did I hurt you?" His voice was laden with concern.

"Nothing. It's nothing." She shook her head, as if to dismiss the words. "Let's just go to bed," Elizabeth muttered, dropping her head to her knees as she hugged her shins. _Not again_. She blinked, trying to keep unshed tears from falling, and shuddered out a breath. The edge of the bed frame bit into the skin of her back, but the sting was almost welcoming.

Henry saw her body shake and heard her ragged breaths, so knew Elizabeth was lying. Her response shocked him. Even when they'd been angry with each other, or struggling through the most emotional moments in their marriage, she'd never pushed him away during sex, not so adamantly.

Only their breathing could be heard in the silence of the room as the minutes ticked away. Henry didn't know how much time had passed when Elizabeth finally lifted her head, but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I can't… I'm not…" she stuttered, haltingly.

Henry began to understand the source of her distress, or so he thought. "Do you need me to turn off the furnace?" he asked gently.

Elizabeth chewed on her lip, as she stared at the wall, but didn't answer. Her fingers tightened on her legs.

"When did you last take any cold medicine?" he pressed.

"Damnit, Henry." Elizabeth bit out the words. "No Socratic method. Just stop."

"But it works, doesn't it?" His question was more of a statement.

"Not now," she hissed. "Not with this. And don't quote Augustine or Aristotle at me." Her vehemence startled him.

"Aquinas," Henry responded in jest, almost automatically. He shifted his body to lean against the wall, while taking off his other shoe.

"Seriously?" Elizabeth glared at him, those brilliant blue eyes blazing.

"I'm sorry, babe," he acquiesced, holding up both hands in surrender. His wife's obvious distress, such a drastic change from her earlier laughter, unnerved him.

"Your saints can't fix this." The anger in her voice turned brittle. Elizabeth slid her hands up and down her shins, roughly, as if she needed a physical outlet for her emotions. Her pants slid to her ankles, adding to her frustration.

"Fix what?" Henry still struggled to understand why she was so upset. "I don't see anything broken."

"You don't?" Elizabeth flung out her arms, shoving her pants off her legs, kicking them into the bathroom. "We're trying to have sex and my body isn't responding. That's not a problem?" Her movements were vicious and erratic, taking out her anger on her clothes.

"We have a solution, right here." He gestured to the bottle he'd dropped on the carpet when she'd pounced on him.

"No," Elizabeth replied, flatly. "I don't want to use that." She kicked at the bottle, toppling it to roll across the floor.

"Why not, Elizabeth?" Henry asked, his confusion evident in his voice now.

Elizabeth glared at him, silently, tears trickling down her face.

"This is me asking, Elizabeth. Not Socrates." He tried to reassure her. "We've used lube before. You have a bottle in your nightstand. Why is this different?"

"It just is," she seethed through her tears.

Henry cocked his head at her non answer, waiting for her to continue.

"It just wasn't such a production before," Elizabeth offered, in explanation.

"Or you'd distract me," Henry continued for her, when she wouldn't. "You'd take me in your mouth and keep me from touching you." He paused. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"No. Yes." She stopped, and changed tactics. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You obviously didn't want me to know," Henry stated, as he suddenly realized her omission had annoyed him.

"That's not true." Elizabeth contradicted him. "I didn't want you to think I didn't want you. Or that it was your fault somehow."

"Now we're talking in circles." Irritation seeped into Henry's voice. "You've never been shy about telling me what you want in bed. At least I didn't think so," he concluded.

"So you're mad I used lube?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow as she flung her accusation at him.

"No," he stated firmly. "I didn't…"

"Or gave you a blow job?" Her snarky tone dared him to challenge her.

"I didn't say that." Henry snapped back, before she could interrupt him again. "Stop twisting my words so you don't have to talk."

"I **am** talking," she huffed at him.

"No, you're not. You're throwing everything back at me," he pointed out, smacking his hand on the carpet in emphasis.

Elizabeth crossed her arms at her chest, as much in defiance as anger. "What do you want me to say, Henry?"

"I want you to talk to me," Henry replied, emphasizing each syllable. "We were just laughing about this massive amount of lube," he reminded her, in a less harsh tone.

"It was funny earlier, when we weren't trying to have sex. It's not funny when my body won't work right when we are." She blew out a breath and scrubbed her face with her hands. "That's happened a lot lately. That's why the bottle was empty."

"So?" Henry crossed his legs, settling his forearms on his knees and folding his hands, as if he were preparing for a debate.

"So?" Elizabeth threw back at him, exasperated at his attempt to rationalize her emotions. "You don't understand. This isn't happening to you." She dragged her fingers through her hair, pulling at the blonde strands.

Henry considered her a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Remember when I came back from deployment?" Confusion flickered into Elizabeth's eyes. "We didn't have sex, for a long time."

"Why the hell would you bring that up, now?" Elizabeth visibly deflated at the memory. "You didn't want me."

"I did," Henry corrected her, quietly. "I was so angry, and confused and...," he trailed off. He took a deep breath, then another, before he continued. "I did want you. But I couldn't get hard."

"What?" Shock momentarily replaced her anger.

"I wanted to make love with my wife. But I couldn't get an erection," Henry explained, visibly embarrassed, running a hand through his hair distractedly.

His revelation deflated some of her temper. "I didn't know."

"I was afraid if you knew, you'd give up on us," he admitted, begrudgingly. "We were struggling so much. I didn't want to add one more problem. And yet, I inadvertently did."

"I can't believe you never told me." Elizabeth was astonished he'd kept this secret from her.

"Can't you?" Henry asked. "You're having a hard time talking to me now, after all these years together. Do you understand why I couldn't tell you then, when we weren't even sure we loved each other anymore?"

"Maybe it would've helped if I knew. Maybe," she conceded, when he raised his eyebrows at her statement. "But I wouldn't have given up because we couldn't have sex." She threw a hand up, adamantly, halting any attempt he might have made to contradict her. "I just wanted my husband back. I didn't care how I got him."

"Then why do you think I'd give up on you just because we need more foreplay?" Henry wondered. "Or a little help sometimes? I'll still get pleasure from making you feel good." The sexy smile on his face gave her a thrill, amidst her misery. "Don't get me wrong, I want you to touch me, and I enjoy it. But knowing what I can do to you, how you let yourself go when I touch you? I crave your reaction to me." Henry's eyes darkened as he spoke, boring into hers.

"It's not you, Henry. It's not." The despair in Elizabeth's voice broke his heart.

"Then what is it?" he encouraged her, shifting to his knees to close the distance between them.

"I'm scared." Her words poured out, as if a dam had broken. "Scared I'm getting older and my body is changing. That the stress from work is affecting me. That it's not just the medicine. That I won't be attractive to you anymore and sex will just become work."

"Elizabeth," Henry began, as she paused to wipe her tears on her shirt sleeve, snorting inelegantly into the fabric.

"No, don't," she replied, indignantly, shaking her head at him. "I know what you're going to say."

"Do you?" Henry doubted that very much. "I was going to say I'm afraid of the same things. I still remember feeling impotent. I'm getting older, too."

"Has it happened since then?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"No, but I've had occasions where I've worried," he confessed.

"You never told me then, either," Elizabeth accused him.

"No, I've not told you." He mulled over that decision a moment, then relented. "Maybe I should have. But it's not affected us."

"Until now," she retorted, sarcastically.

"I'm not placing blame." Henry reached out to gently touch Elizabeth's foot while he spoke, making the connection between them. "I'm trying to tell you I understand. I don't want to not be able to pleasure you, or show you that I want you."

"But you won't," she reassured him softly, her demeanor changing slightly as Henry rubbed her toes gently with his thumb. "That's just biology, Henry. I know what's in your heart."

Henry's hand stilled as realization dawned in Elizabeth's eyes at the meaning of her own words.

"Why can't I think that rationally when it's about me?" she wondered, a hint of irony in her voice.

"I'm sure Aquinas has an answer," Henry ventured, his lips twitching in a grin. "You're only human, babe."

Elizabeth nudged his hand with her foot, and managed to return his smile. Then her expression sobered again. "I just can't get it out of my head. And worrying makes it worse."

"I don't want you any less because biology can be screwy. I'd rather you tell me, Elizabeth. Then we can work through this, together."

She shifted slightly against the bed, suddenly trying to straighten the shirt that had become hopelessly twisted around her upper body. "Why are we having difficulty talking about sex? We talk about everything else."

"We've had to learn to communicate," Henry reminded her. "We've grown up from those newlywed kids." He paused, thoughtfully. "We haven't really had problems in bed, since then, so we haven't needed to talk about sex. Not like this, anyway."

"I feel like my body is betraying me, and I just want that to stop," Elizabeth admitted, with a deep sigh. "If we don't talk about it, maybe then the problem will go away." Her voice lightened with hopefulness.

"Maybe," Henry offered. "Maybe it doesn't happen for a while. But if it does…"

"When." Elizabeth frowned, and twisted her hands together in her lap.

" **If** it does," Henry admonished her interruption by squeezing her big toe, "and we don't talk, it'll eat away at you. I don't want to lose the intimacy I have with my wife." He paused until he caught her eyes again. "We thought this whole situation with the lube was funny, didn't we?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth conceded his point.

"And you don't have any problem using it?" Henry asked her, in confirmation. Elizabeth shook her head 'no', in lieu of an answer.

"So why does it matter if we need it? If I use it on you?" he continued.

Elizabeth responded with a sheepish shrug.

"Do you still want me?" Henry's eyes searched hers, his love evident in his expression.

"Yes." Of that she was sure; she would always be sure.

"So why does it matter how we get there, as long as we get there together?" Henry crawled to meet her on his knees, settling between her outstretched legs as he wrapped his hands around her bare calves. "Let me show you."

"You want to have sex now?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes." Conviction rang through that one word.

"After all of this?" Elizabeth gestured, arms wide. Henry grabbed her hands and pulled them to his lips.

"Elizabeth," Henry implored, "let me fix this for you. Let's figure this out."

"But what if I can't?" Her voice was timid.

"If you really don't want to have sex, I'm perfectly fine with that decision," Henry reassured her, firmly. "But if you're afraid you can't, well, that's why we have Amazon."

Henry could see the pain in her eyes, swirling along with unshed tears, but he could see the trust, as well. He gained his feet, and reached out to his wife, waiting patiently for her, as he always would. Elizabeth knew, above all else, she would never turn away from her husband. So she grasped his hands, and let him pull her to her feet.


	3. Chapter 3: Like A Precious Statue

Thanks for sticking with me on this unexpected journey. I only anticipated this story to be a humorous one-shot, but my muse doesn't always agree with me- and sent my emotions on the roller coaster with Henry and Elizabeth. Your comments are much appreciated, and I'm thrilled you enjoyed this glimpse into the intimate moments of their marriage as much as I did.

Also, this chapter is very much M rated. The conclusion, however, is not, so you can scroll to the end for more hilarity from our favorite couple.

* * *

Henry lavished her breasts with his lips and tongue, teasing her nipples into hardened peaks, teeth closing gently over her flesh. His fingertips roamed lazily over her hips, grazing her inner thighs, but never touching her core. Elizabeth struggled to relax under his touch, tension still prickling her mind. Henry could sense her reluctance, and patiently waited for her to give in to the sensations, enjoying the feel of her skin under his hands. Gradually, she allowed the passion to seep into her body, melting into the desire between them. Only when her sighs finally turned to breathy moans did he draw back, shifting to his knees to rise above her.

Henry reached across the bed for the bottle, where he'd tossed it when he laid her back on the blankets. He noticed Elizabeth's eyes change, the hazy passion in the brilliant blue cooling with anxiety.

"Elizabeth," he whispered. Just her name. Henry brushed a hand along her leg, his strokes soothing now.

"You haven't touched me."

He almost replied that he had, but he knew what she meant. "I know. I don't want to know if you're wet. It doesn't matter. I'll show you why." As he spoke, he poured liquid onto his hand, eyes searching her face while he did. He capped the bottle, before setting it again to the side.

"We really need that pump, before I make a mess," he chuckled, softly. Her lips twitched slightly in response. Then he leaned down, touching his lips to the trail of dried tears on her cheekbones, before taking her mouth in a searing kiss. Henry slipped his hand between her legs as his tongue slid against hers, stealing her breath and forcing her thoughts on only him.

He stroked her slowly, gently, building up the pleasure as he worshiped her body. The clouds of apprehension in her eyes began to slowly fade under his touch. His fingers grazed her heat, dipping inside, teasing her. Her eyelids fluttered closed, then opened again, the glacier blue deepening as he drove her closer to the edge. Henry knew when Elizabeth surrendered to the bliss; her face relaxed and hands unclenched, reaching out to him. Henry didn't realize how much he longed for her touch, or needed a physical reminder that she wanted him, until that moment. Her fingers ghosted over his skin, leaving trails of goosebumps in their wake.

When Elizabeth moaned his name, he paused over her clit, pressing, caressing until her hips began to writhe against his hand. Henry increased the pressure, the speed of his fingers, insistently pushing her to climax. He was almost desperate to bring her to completion, to forge their connection again, in spite of the challenges they'd faced together. Suddenly, Elizabeth shuddered as the pleasure consumed her body, and her mind. Her nails dug into his thigh as she arched against his hand with a sharp cry.

Through the fog of passion, Elizabeth heard his voice, as his movements against her stilled. When her gaze met his again, he was stroking himself. His eyes, dark with lust, never left hers, as his hands pumped his shaft, glistening with wetness. From her or the lube, she didn't know. And suddenly didn't care.

"Does this turn you off?" His voice was almost a growl, low with desire.

"What?" she whispered, hazily. Elizabeth blinked once, twice, forcing her brain to focus through the need pulsing in her veins. The air felt thick and warm, their ragged breathing echoing in the quiet.

"I've used the lube, on both of us. Does this turn you off?" he repeated. His thumb passed over the tip of his penis, and he began to thrust into his fist.

"God, no. You're… that's so hot," she gasped.

"This is what matters, Elizabeth. Nothing else. Just us." He reached down and slid his fingers into her body, slick and wet, stroking her in rhythm with his hand on his erection. Elizabeth whimpered, her hips jerking in response.

"Do you want me?"

She bit her lip, nodding. He plunged his fingers deeper, curling them slightly, sparking the nerves deep within her. "Yeess," she hissed.

"Tell me," he implored, his eyes boring into hers.

"I want you, Henry."

Her eyes were cloudy blue now, all traces of tension gone, and the need in her voice unraveled his last shred of control. He lowered himself to her, nestling his body into the cradle of her thighs, bracing himself on his elbows. Her nipples pressed against his chest, and her hands slid around his back, nails trailing his spine. His hardness brushed her clit, and his throaty moan was her undoing.

Her legs fell apart, one knee raised to his armpit, the arch of her other foot grazing his calf, opening herself for him. "Please," Elizabeth begged. "Take me."

He did. Hard and hot, he filled her to bursting, and held there, watching her eyes glaze over with pleasure before she threw her head back. He cupped his hands under her shoulder blades, drawing her even closer to him, and laid his lips at her throat. In that moment, Henry swore he could feel her heartbeat in his chest. He waited until her eyes met his again. As the love melted that brilliant blue, he began to thrust.

Henry moved slowly within her, in a steady solid rhythm, echoing the pounding of his own heart. He wanted to show her as much love as passion, reminding her of what they could bring to each other, with each other. Elizabeth was exquisite, and beautiful and his, and always would be, and he needed to prove to her those indelible truths.

Elizabeth slid her hands into his hair, her fingers gently toiling through the short strands. The tenderness in their lovemaking filled her heart, chasing away the last tendrils of doubt and worry. She drew his face down to hers, so she could reach his lips. Her kisses were soft, almost soothing, a distinct counterpoint to the pressure steadily building low in her belly. Then that pressure exploded into searing heat as Henry shifted the angle of his hips, his pelvis grazing her clit as he buried himself deep inside her.

Her climax rippled through her like a wave, and Elizabeth tightened her thighs around his waist, clinging to his shoulders. When she gasped and stiffened under him, Henry buried his head in the crook of her neck and surrendered to his own orgasm.

* * *

Henry drew Elizabeth back onto his chest, tucking his chin on her shoulder, as his lips nibbled on her jawline. "You good now, babe?" His voice rumbled, warm and sated, in her ear.

"Mmmhmmm. Yes, more than," she purred. She brought their joined hands to her lips, peppering kisses over his knuckles, and tangled her legs with his.

He squeezed her fingers. "You're not just saying that?" His voice held a hint of doubt.

"No, I'm not." Now came her turn to reassure him. Elizabeth tilted her head so she could meet his gaze. "You were right." She kissed him softly, brushing his cheekbone with her free hand. "Using the lube didn't change anything." Her limbs twitched in memory as she continued. "I will always want to be with you."

Henry's eyes darkened briefly at her words. "You can use it, next time." He nipped her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged, gently. "You know I enjoy watching you touch yourself," he murmured against her lips.

The desire Elizabeth thought was satisfied flared again in her belly. She whimpered slightly as Henry lifted his head. "The orgasms were just as good," she confirmed. Elizabeth rubbed her thumb over his still-wet fingers and snorted. "And sex is just as messy."

Henry chuckled in response. "Want to try that shower now?" he suggested. He leaned his head into her hand as her fingers continued to lightly trace his features.

"Ha. Maybe. But only to clean up," she clarified. Elizabeth shifted her body to face him, pulling their joined hands in front of her.

He nodded, smirking slightly. "We'll save that one for another day."

Elizabeth's tone turned serious. Her hand cupped his jaw. "I'm sorry I got so upset." Her eyes were steady on his, all traces of her earlier anguish faded from the crystal blue.

"You don't have to apologize to me, babe," Henry soothed her. "I'm glad you still care. I'm glad you still want me. We've obviously both had reservations talking about our issues with sex," he acknowledged.

"It's easy to talk about when it's good. It's harder when it's not," Elizabeth agreed, snickering at her own pun.

Henry reached behind him for the bottle of lube, leaning back over Elizabeth to set it on the nightstand. "So, are you looking at that a little bit differently, now?" He kissed her shoulder, and propped himself up on an elbow.

"Yeah," Elizabeth admitted, albeit grudgingly. "But I don't think we should leave it out on the nightstand." She shrugged a shoulder as she rolled to her side again and settled back against his chest. "I'm not ready to advertise our sex life to my detail every time they sweep the house, even if they'll see it, anyway." She paused, considering. "This is like a flashing marquee."

"That bottle is admittedly impressive," Henry replied. He ran a hand down her side, tickling her ribs. "Sure you don't want to give it a place of honor?"

Elizabeth giggled. "What, like a precious statue or something?"

"I've got a precious statue for you," Henry grinned, pressing his hips into her butt, tightening his hand on her waist to hold her against him.

"Oh my God, you didn't just say that?" Elizabeth gasped, incredulously, her shock quickly giving way to amusement. "Henry, your come-on lines are still ridiculous."

As his wife's unbridled laughter rang through their bedroom, Henry held her tightly, cherishing the joy they could always find in each other.


	4. Chapter 4: Subscribe and Save

"Good night, guys," Elizabeth acknowledged her detail as she shuffled into her house.

"Good night, Madam Secretary," Matt echoed. "Your mail is on the foyer table," he added.

"Thanks, Matt," she replied, wearily, as he pulled the door closed behind her. Elizabeth leaned against the door with a sigh, and dropped her briefcase and coat on the entryway floor where she stood. She glanced down, then pushed both items closer to the wall with her foot. She'd pick them up eventually.

Elizabeth paused briefly at the small table, shuffling through the pile of mail haphazardly, not caring much when an envelope or two wafted to the floor. Exhaustion clouded her brain. She perked up a bit when the stack of bills revealed a box, though, and read the return label.

 _Well, huh. Maybe she wasn't so tired, after all_. Elizabeth smiled to herself, considering the new possibilities for the night, and picked up the box. "Anyone home? Henry?" she queried, projecting her voice to be heard throughout the house.

"In here," Henry called, his voice muffled.

Elizabeth followed the sound into the kitchen, where Henry sat at the table, grading papers. She paused a moment in the doorway, drinking in the sight of her husband in full professor mode. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, revealing his muscled forearms, a few buttons loosened at his chest, glasses perched on his nose. He'd obviously been dragging his fingers through his hair, as he did often when lost in thought. _Damn_ , Elizabeth mused, a hint of arousal fluttering in her belly. While she watched, he scrubbed his hand over the 5 o'clock shadow on his face, and Elizabeth suddenly craved his mouth on her.

She sauntered to him, unhurriedly, ogling the view. Henry looked up when he heard heard her heels clicking on the tile floor. "Hey, babe," he offered, with a soft smile. He shoved back from the table and shifted his body toward her. Elizabeth set the package next to a stack of his papers as she leaned into him. She kissed his temple, then his lips, brushing her fingers lightly though his disheveled hair. His hand trailed down her forearm, squeezing gently.

"Oh, just what I needed." Elizabeth deliberately glanced away from him, at the drink next to his laptop. She reached for the glass, wet with condensation, and took a sip of his bourbon, nonchalantly.

"That's what you needed?" he questioned, eyebrows raised.

"Among other things," Elizabeth shrugged and grinned, swallowing more of the liquor.

"Mail came today." She patted the box, and slid it slightly in Henry's direction. He gave the package a brief glance, more focused on his wife, as he mentally calculated how many papers he actually needed to finish grading that night.

"You might be interested in this one," Elizabeth emphasized, tapping a corner with her finger.

Henry scrutinized the label more closely, peering through his glasses to read the words. "That's for you, babe," he pointed out.

"Yeah, kinda," Elizabeth confirmed. "But not just for me. Open it," she urged.

Curiosity aroused, Henry scanned her features. Even after all these years, Elizabeth had a killer poker face. Henry couldn't quite decipher her expression, but he sensed something brewing. _Okay, he'd bite._ He reached for the box, setting it in his lap, for lack of room on the table in front of him. His hands faltered a bit on the lid, after perusing the contents.

Henry studied Elizabeth again. "Well, the bottle is smaller this time," he ventured, still not quite sure how to gauge his wife. Elizabeth observed him, her gaze impassive. "And… strawberry," he continued.

"Yuuuppp." Elizabeth dragged out the word with a pop, her lips twitching, just barely noticeable.

Henry relaxed slightly at her reaction. They'd overcome her recent insecurity, and actually had been more adventurous as a result, but he still hadn't quite expected…. this. "So you remember this purchase, huh?" he chuckled.

Now Elizabeth couldn't keep the smirk off her face. "Oh, yeah," she nodded, enthusiastically. "It's on Amazon Subscribe and Save." Her blue eyes danced with glee.

"What?" Henry asked.

"You get a new order every month, automatically," Elizabeth explained. "No need for blind, midnight shopping."

"Really?" Her answer piqued his interest.

"And they have six flavors." Elizabeth peeked through her lashes at him, over the rim of the glass, arousal glimmering.

Henry leaned back, his hands loosely draped on the armrests of the chair, his eyes darkening with desire. He'd gladly follow Elizabeth's lead when his wife was in a playful mood. "You're my favorite flavor, but I do like strawberry."

"Mmmm, you do," Elizabeth replied, huskily. She finished his drink, setting the glass on the table with a decisive thump. She deliberately let her gaze rake Henry's body, making a show of licking her lips. Then Elizabeth looked down at her clothes, contemplating the logistics of her impromptu seduction. "So are the kids gone the rest of the night?" She wondered, tilting her head.

"Yeah."

At Henry's confirmation, she kicked off her heels, and reached back to unzip her skirt, letting the garment drop unheeded to the floor. _Finesse be damned_ , Elizabeth concluded. _I don't need to risk another trip to the emergency room._

Henry was suddenly distracted by a glimpse of the black lacy teddy she'd donned that morning, and Elizabeth took full advantage. _Two birds, one stone_ , she laughed to herself. "Race ya to the bedroom," she challenged, and dashed up the stairs, giggling. She heard Henry's grunt of surprise, closely followed by the kitchen chair scraping against the floor, and a thud as the box landed on the floor.

As her feet hit the hallway to their bedroom, she yelled behind her, "don't forget the lube!"


End file.
